First ever Karma Score system introduced to recognize and celebrate acts of love, kindness and generosity toward others
BELLA, a new banking experience and lifestyle brand with a socially conscious ethos and mission to put people ahead of profits, is creating a mass pay-it-forward movement with a first-of-its-kind compassionate banking experience inspired by an Italian practice, “caffè sospeso,” of paying for the espresso of those less fortunate in advance. Already, well over 12,500 pay-it-forward gifts have been made by BELLA™ members covering complete strangers’ small expenses since the movement’s inception on November 30, 2020.
A reimagined digital banking experience, BELLA is intentionally designed to change the way the world views banking in an industry that has always cared about money more than people, and BELLA is encouraging a lifestyle that inspires humans to achieve a new level of giving while becoming the heroes who take care of each other and their communities. It is radically different from every other banking app or experience because it is powered by the human qualities of love and empathy, plus the immediacy and personalization of cutting-edge AI. Set to shake up the commoditized, distrustful, profit-driven banking industry, BELLA is made for the people who care about each other and want to create a better world.
“We’re here to deliver moments of joy every time our members interact with BELLA, not just be another checking account, because I don’t think the world needs another digital banking service. We need a community of heroes who thrive on spreading hope and joy and need a place to feel safe and happy. They now have a home at BELLA,” said Angelo D’Alessandro, Founder and CEO of BELLA. “BELLA is the perfect place for givers. We are seeing that people love how special it feels to do a random act of kindness for a stranger, and those on the receiving end truly feel that they matter. This is already helping us create a community of people who are connected through their values. We need this in today’s uncertain world… a new way to connect through a banking service that is totally free, fun and full of tenderness.”
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BELLA Features
Like every provider, BELLA offers FDIC insured accounts and checks all the boxes for safe and secure banking experiences, while including features that are disruptive and unconventional:
- BELLA Surprises: BELLA is all about spreading joy in the world, and one of the most powerful ways we do that is by creating surprises. We care about our members and share our love for them directly, in the form of randomized, surprise cash-back of up to 200% on their purchases, every time they use our BELLA Rainbow card, just to make them smile. But it’s not just BELLA that surprises our members. Using the same random surprise algorithm, our members can pay it forward to each other, by randomly picking up the tab, up to $20, for complete strangers in the BELLA Community, just to be generous and share kindness. We are today launching a new enhancement to the BELLA app which enables our members to keep, share or donate the BELLA Surprises they receive.
- KARMA SCORE: BELLA features an unconventional scoring system that recognizes and celebrates acts of love, kindness and generosity toward others. Instead of a traditional “credit score” that analyzes credit history, the Karma Score celebrates you as a human being — recognizing how special you are and your impact to make this world a better place. Members unlock the “Karma Explorer” status when they join, and their score goes up with every random act of kindness and generosity, such as paying for strangers’ small expenses or donating their BELLA Surprises to a cause. Whether by reaching the “Karma Hero” level or being recognized as the highest expression of digital philanthropist, which BELLA calls the “Karma Legend,” together our mission is to spread love and make a difference.
- 24/7 Messaging Service Powered by Love Data™: The BELLA Squad, a specially trained customer support team, is available 24/7 to serve BELLA members as family members instead of account numbers, getting to know and serve them as human beings instead of customers. Love Data is a technology that enhances the human relationship far beyond a traditional process-oriented approach. It’s driven by love and managed by real people.
- Socratex™, a wholly new technology from conversational AI powerhouse LivePerson: Socratex is an intuitive search that interprets a member’s intents and allows them to use their natural language to instantly surface information and interact with BELLA. It has reinvented in-app navigation, removing the typical hamburger menu, allowing users to intuitively operate within the BELLA app.
From random acts of kindness for friends and strangers to 24-hour care and support to our cutting-edge union of AI and human kindness that delivers love and empathy, BELLA is creating a world-changing community of people who are connected by the same values.
There are no account minimums to open or maintain a BELLA account, nor does BELLA charge service fees, account maintenance or overdraft fees. BELLA accounts are FDIC insured up to $5 million for each member on all checking and savings account deposits1 — far greater than the standard $250,000 FDIC insurance of most major banks. Bella is a fintech and bank services are provided by our partner, nbkc Bank, member FDIC.
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In addition, BELLA has unconventional savings features. BELLA members can open as many savings accounts as they like. These accounts can operate traditionally, or members can set up a variety of conventional or unconventional savings rules which are fun, compelling ways to save money and encourage good habits. For example, a member could set a rule to move $20 into their savings account every time it’s sunny in their hometown or to save $50 every time their favorite sports team wins a game.
The beauty of BELLA goes further than its dedication to customers:
- Members receive the brand’s signature BELLA Rainbow Visa Debit Card.
- The BELLA Rainbow cards are made with recycled ocean plastic.
- The BELLA Rainbow card is compatible with contactless enabled terminals, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
- For future cards, BELLA has committed to partnering with selected artists who represent and share the BELLA community’s values in their lives and work. It’s a simple, daily reminder to members that the world is full of beauty.
